Quantifying the use and availability of marine ecosystem services for humans

The seas provide a wealth of ecosystem services that support the economy and human well-being, including food provision, climate regulation, coastal protection from storms, water purification and recreational activities. To date, sustainable management of these services has been hampered by the fact they are difficult to quantify. A JRC-led article published recently in Scientific Reports proposes a new approach to assessing the use and supply of marine ecosystem services, which could provide effective support for Blue Growth and European maritime policies.

The study shows that ecosystem and biophysical modelling can be used to evaluate marine ecosystem services, which could fill information gaps and benefit the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Indicators that quantify capacity, flow and demand can help analyse the sustainability of marine and coastal ecosystem services.

See more: ec.europa.eu/jrc